BADass SINema Unearthed - Blu-ray Review

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The Half Moon Killer strikes again!

First and foremost, there is the undying groove as Seven Blood Stained Orchids, a crimson-spattered film in which a brown-haired prostitute meets her nickel-sized fate in a cornfield, opens upon the streets in an expressionistic manner. Shining car lights. Rain-soaked streets. Hoods refracting light itself. The score hits deep in the gut and suggests a confident swagger that does not disappoint as young women – throughout a 92-minute running time - are sliced and diced.

Tasty and full of hot bass licks, composer Riz Ortolani’s score reigns supreme in establishing both the mood and the method of director Umberto Lenzi’s zoom-centered Seven Blood Stained Orchids. This is a giallo film that just won’t quit and, coming from the King of the Cannibalism flicks, that’s something to celebrate. The murders roll out and so, too, does the mystery.

Within seconds of the start we have the black-gloved killer beating the life out of a topless beauty. Another ten minutes later and we get paint dripping all over the bare breasts of another lifeless model. Blood. Sex. And a snazzy style all its own. What more could we want? You want a meaningless police force? You got it. You want a confidently deranged opening 10 minutes, complete with mutilated canvases and poisoned cats? Seven Blood Stained Orchids provides.

Quick edits? A fast moving camera? Interesting shots leading up to each kill? And even more attractive women? Cinematographer Angelo Lotti provides all the above, giving fans of the murderous genre something a bit more artistic to sink their teeth into. His work, especially when the narrative begins to dip a bit into the expected, gives fans an appeal that is all its own.

Starring Antonio Sabato, Uschi Glas, Pier Paolo Capponi, and Marisa Mell, Seven Blood Stained Orchids might be borderline second-rate giallo, but that doesn’t make it any less sure of itself. While it might offend some viewers with its treatment of sex and bare-bottomed girls, the film doesn’t shy away from the brutality. Nor does it apologize. The sleaze, as is Lenzi’s style, is cranked to an 11, yes, but so is the style, which is on point throughout the flick as it tops itself with each new murder, dipping into bouts of surrealism.

And it all works to deliver the hunt for a killer who leaves a half moon medallion as his calling card. Glas, who survives her attack (even though the rest of the world believes her to be dead), joins in the search for her would-be killer. One would expect it to lose steam toward the end and it does not. It’s quite original in its rollout. But, of course, what is discovered – all while some pretty hefty sax solos blast about – has more to do with an unpredicted twist than just random female murders.

Building a heavy layer of atmosphere with quick edits, gnarly attacks, and a tease of flesh throughout the picture, Seven Blood Stained Orchids dares to do something different with audience expectations - kill them. It is now available on 1080p blu-ray thanks to a brand new 2017 HD scan with extensive color corrections from Code Red.

MPAA Rating: Unrated.Runtime: 92 minsDirector: Umberto LenziWriter: Roberto GianvitiCast: Antonio Sabato, Uschi Glas, Pier Paolo CapponiGenre: Mystery | ThrillerTagline: A film by Umberto LenziTheatrical Distributor: Joseph Brenner AssociatesOfficial Site:Release Date: October 1, 1976DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: January 2, 2018Synopsis: A maniac on the loose is committing savage acts of slaughter, and one survivor may be the only key to unmasking the serial slayer known as the Half-Moon Killer. The mysterious half-moon lockets could be the only key to unraveling his sinister motives, but will that be enough before he completes his ice-cold plot to claim his intended seven victims?

Blu-ray Details:

Home Video Distributor: Code RedAvailable on Blu-ray - January 2, 2018Screen Formats: 2.35:1Subtitles: English SDHLanguage: Italian with English Subititles; EnglishDiscs: Blu-ray Disc; single discRegion Encoding: Locked to Region A

Code Red presents Seven Blood Stained Orchids on blu-ray with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The brand new 2017 HD scan with extensive color corrections looks sharp and has zero concerns. It looks brand spanking new. Colors pop. Locations are detailed. And the blood is ruby red. There is a nice grain level throughout. Blacks are rich and nicely saturated. The sound is presented here in a crackling DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Both English and Italian Audio Tracks are included.

Supplements:

Commentary:

Fans get a brand new audio commentary by Film Historian Troy Howarth which goes into details about the film’s history.

Special Features:

Complete with a brand new interview with director Umberto Lenzi, the release comes loaded with a commentary, a vintage interview with Umberto Lenzi and Gabriella Giorgelli, and the original trailer.